Method of color determination of any object



Oct. 4, 1932. G. Q. VOIGT 1,881,336

METHOD OF COLOR DETERMINATION OF ANY OBJECT Filed Jan. 22, 1930 Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE QUENTIN VOIGT, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS METHOD OF COLOR DETERMINATION OF ANY OBJECT Application filed January 22, 1930. Serial No. 422,688.

My invention relates to the means of autoently of each other, both passing through matioally recording the color content of any during the interval of time reiuired to turn object whatsoever, and this apparatus conthe prism D to a new position y the gear 5, tains a minimum of moving parts, resulting in other words, before a light ray resulting to give indefinite life to the most vital parts from another position of the prism D is pro- 5 f th t duced through the slit B. These emerging I attain these results by the mechanism ilintermittent beams are thenceforward shown lustrated in the accompanying drawing, in as follows on the drawing:

whi h- (a) solid lines to show the path of beam Figure I is a diagrammatic sketch of the during its portion of the said interval of ntire apparatus, time required to rotate the disc G to complete Figures II and III are detail drawings one-cycle as explained above, and showing the arrangements of apparatus car- (6) dotted lines to show the path of beam rying the same designations corresponding during its portion of the said interval of Withthose parts labeled in Figure I. time required to rotate the disc G to complete At A, may originate visible or invisible one cycle as explained above. li ht or both, and then pass through slit B Each of these beams is directed upon either of controlled dimensions and enter the prism straight or concave surfaces H and I, ro- D (of the type which furnishes the desired tated continuously by means of the gears Y 20 portion of the visible or invisible spectra or and Y which are rigidly connected to the I both) where it is divided into a continuous shaft U and actuated by gear U, rigidly ator non-continuous spectra E. This said prism tached to shaft T. The beam J is directed is rigidly fixed to a turntable 2, which in upon the surface I, hereinafter termed the turn is rigidly fixed to the shaft 4 to which tested substance or surface, and the\beam J 25 is rigidly attached the gear 1, and actuated by directed upon H, the material or obpect to 7 intermittent contact with the rotating worm be investigated, hereinafter termed the test or spiral gear 5, and provided with a ratchet substance or surface. These surfaces or subdevice 3, to maintain the position of the stances are so placed that the emitted light aforesaid gear 1, when actuated by the aforerays K and K from I and H respectively are 30 said gear 5, which is rigidly fixed to the shaft focused through the slit M of controlled di- T as shown, the latter being rotated by the mensions on the sensitive element L, which motor X by means of the meshed gears S transforms light energy into electrical energy and S, rigidly attached respectively to shafts proportional in intensity to the intensity of T. and T, the latter fixed to the shaft of light directed on 35 motor X. The intermittent electrical energy im- 30 E, the ray of light of a definite Wavepulses set up at L, proportional to the alterlength or wavelengths emitted from D, is dinate light energy impulses K and K are conrected through slit B of controlled dimennected by an electrical circuit to an amplifier sions, and then passes through prism F which 0, and thence to a rotating commutator N divides the ray E into two beams J and J which, as is well known, will automatically as of e ual or of known intensity as desired. direct these electrical impulse currents to At (2, a disc (with one or more radial slits) their respective circuits, and actuated by an rotated by mutual contact with the disc G, extension of the shaft T to which the comthe latter being rigidly fixed to the shaft T) mutator rotor is rigidly fixed. From N, allows both J and J rays to pass independproceeding along each circuit in the direction of the arrows indicated on the drawing, the

riable resistance paths are designated as follows:

(a) solid lines designate the clrcuit over which the amplified intermittent electrical energy impulses resulting from K travel, and

(b) dotted lines designate the circuit over which the amplified intermittent electrlcal energy impulses resulting from K travel.

The solid lines follow to a relay 1? from N, which, as is well known, automatically controls the intensity of light emitted from I, or incident upon H, by controlling the intensity of the light source A by means of the va- R, in the circuit, the latter being actuated by the motor Q. The dotted line circuit from N follows to a record ng galvanometer W, resulting to give an impression on the recording drum V which is rigidly fixed to the rotatlng shaft The recording sheet on the drum V is calibrated previous to the operation with unknown samples, by means of known samples and 1s graduated accordingly as the results are to be interpreted.

Electric lamps are known to be steady but the amount of light steadily emitted'at various wavelengths is different, and th1s necessitates automatic control to obtain the desired amount at each wavelength.

'1 claim:

1. The method of recording color comprising, separating light into its const tuent wavelengths, separating one constituent wavelength into separate beams, pro ecting one beam upon a test surface, projecting another beam upon a known tested surface, setting up an electric current having its intensity proportlonal to the intensity of the li ght from the test surface, and controlling the intensity of the beam projected upon the test surface, and recording the color effect by the action of the set-up electric current.

2. The method of recording color comprising, separating light into its constituent wavelengths, separating one constituent wavelength into separate beams, projecting one beam upon a test substance, projecting another beam upon a known tested substance, setting up an electric current having its intensity proportional to the intensity of the light from the test substance, controlling the intensity of the beam proj ected-upon the test substance, by varying the intensity "of the original light in proportion to the intensity of the light from the known substance, and recording the effect by the action of the set-up electric current.

3. In apparatus for recording color, a source of light, ameans to separate the light into its constituent wavelengths, a means to separate one constituent wavelength into separate beams, a test substance, a known tested substance, means to alternately project the beams upon the test substance and upon the known substance, an electric circuit arranged one beam projected upon a substance,

to be actuated by the beam from the test substance, a color recording instrument connected with the circuit, means to regulate the intensity of the source of light comprising a. second electric circuit arranged to be actuated by the beam from the known substance.

4. In apparatus for recording color, a sourceof light, a prism arranged to separate the light into its constituent wavelengths, a second prism arranged to separate each constituent wavelength into separate beams, a means to effect a relative movement between the prisms so that. the several wavelengths from the first prism may pass through the second prism, a test substance, a known tested substance, a rotatable disc arran ed between the second named prism and sai substances and having an opening formed therein so that the beams may be alternately projected upon the test substance and upon the known tested substance, an electric circuit having means to be actuated by the beam from the test substance, a color recording instrument connected with the circuit, means to regulate the intensity of the source of light comprising a second electric circuit having means arranged to be actuated by the beam from the known surface.

5. In apparatus for recording color, a source of light, means to separate the light into its constituent wavelengths and to separate any one of the wavelengths into separate beams, a test substance, an electric circuit having controlling means, a rotary element having an opening so that the beams are alternately projected upon the test substance and controlling means, means actuated by the electric circuit for maintaining atany value the intensity of the light source, a second circuit having controlling means arranged to have the beam from the test substance projected upon the same, and a color recording device connected in the second circuit.

6. The method comprising, separating light into its constituent wavelengths and separating any one constituent wavelength into separate beams, recording the action of one beam projected upon a substance, and maintaining at a given value the intensity of the projected beam.

7. The method comprising, separating light into its constituent wavelengths and separatingany one constituent wavelength into separate beams, recording the action of and maintaining at a given value the intensity of the projected beam by the action of the other beam.

8. The method comprising, separating light into its constituent wavelengths and separating one constituent wavelength into separate beams, recording the action of one beam projected upon a light responsive surface, and maintaining constant the intensity of the projected beam.

9. The method comprising, separating light into its constituent wavelengths and 5 separating one constituent wavelength into separate earns, recording the action of one ,beam projected upon a light responsive surface, and maintaining constant the intensity of the projected beam by the action of the other beam.

10. The method comprising, separating light into its constituent wavelengths and separating one constituent wavelength into separate beams, recording the action of one 15 beam projected upon a substance, and controlling the intensity of the projected beams.

GEORGE QUENTIN VOIGT. 

